Feel The Difference
by bigmeandragonlady
Summary: A collection of Skyrim one-shots, generally featuring Ocs, and not in chronological order. All taking place within the same timeline/universe.
1. Sometimes Things Work

_(Selene/Farkas)_

"You two should just get married."

"No."

"What?" Torvar waves his hands around, ale sloshing out of his mug. "Just. You know." He trails off.

"No."

"Ugh! You like her, she likes you. The two of you bump uglies _all the time_. Just, you know, marry her."

Farkas shakes his head. "What we have works."

"For now!" He slams his tankard down for emphasis. "Don't you get jealous when she's… with other people?"

"Should I be?"

"You—Yes! That's the way things work!"

"This works."

"I find it hard to believe _that_. And I don't understand why you won't—"

"You know," Selene appears behind them and reaches between the two of them, grabbing an apple. "Your ancestors just lived together instead of getting married." Still leaning between them. "You can thank the empire for this marriage thing you're so adamant about." Before walking away, Selene pinches one of Torvar's cheeks.

"Liar!"

"Mmmhmm." She barley responds with a mouthful of apple.

Torvar turns back to Farkas. "She's lying right?"

He shrugs and gets off the bench. He doesn't have to quicken his pace much to catch up with the redhead.

"How much did you hear?"

"Only the ending bit." She shrugs. "Doesn't really matter though. I'm not a marriage person anyway."

"Why?"

"Why's it important?" She'd taken another bite of apple and sat on one of the benches below the Gildergreen .

Farkas shrugs back and sits down next to her. "Curious, I guess."

After considering for a moment. "The last person I was with. I… was in love. I wanted to get married. Thought he did too." Selene sighs. "Turns out he wanted me dead. Kind of ruined the whole marriage thing."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I haven't thought about that in awhile."

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

"For making you sad."

"…thanks."


	2. Lust

_(Selene/Vilkas. Warning for: smutty stuff_

_Setting: Kyne's Grove Inn)_

**I.**

The only warning he gets is a small, mischievous smile before he's pulled forward to meet her lips. It's hard not to ease into it: her lips are soft and just the right pressure and she tastes like those strawberries on her plate—

And then she's gone. She giggles at the half-drunken look on his face and turns back to her plate, a smile still on her lips.

**II.**

Her hair was softer then Felix's, her skin smoother so the scars stood out like blood on the snow. He had made a point to kiss the one on her stomach because she flinched the first time he touched it.

When he ran his teeth over it her legs shifted around his chest.

"We tell no one."

"Agreed."

**III. **

"_Fuck_."

He wakes up to being kicked to the floor. Looking up he sees a very displeased face wreathed in messy red hair frowning down at him.

"What is wrong with you, woman?"

"Me?" She slides out of the bed and steps over him to reach her clothes but stops when he sits up and his hand holds the back of her knee. When he tugs at it, smirking, she kneels and sits on his abdomen, her legs straddling him and pushes him onto his back.

**IV.**

_Damnit_ she croons because even getting fucked on the floor feels great, even with _him_, whom she hated only a few weeks ago.

But biting his arms and shoulders and sometimes his thighs makes her feel a little better about the whole situation.


	3. Lost & Found

_(During the Thieves Guild questline, featuring Selene and Brynjolf. Warning for: smutty stuff)_

* * *

**I.**

Eventually Brynjolf found his way to Snow Veil Sactum. One of the best thieves of the guild _and_ it's guild master had gone missing over a week ago and he wasn't the only one who had started to worry.

What he found was… upsetting.

Two dead horses, an abandoned campfire, a collapsed tent, golden arrows (her arrows), and enough blood to make his heart drop into his stomach.

Even after milling around the Sanctum, he found little else; the snow had covered any tracks, the red hair he had found in the ruin and the tent did little to waylay his fears.

Now he had to make the choice to try and pick up the trail in Winterhold, or return to a guild that (at the moment) had no leader.

**II.**

"Is… something wrong?"

"No, you're just taking your time." There was a teasing quality to his voice but he hoped she caught his meaning.

If she did it was lost on him as she turned away and leaned against the only table in the room, barren of everything but a few mead bottles. "I haven't seen a decent bed in weeks, guess I got a little too comfortable."

"I can understand that."

The silence after was awkward but thankfully broken by Iona stomping up the stairs in her armor. "With your permission my Thane, I'd like to spend sometime at the Bee and Barb." She had secondary motives, she knew what happened when her Thane had a man in her home. Iona had no intention of staying for _that_.

"Uh, y— yeah? Of course."

"Thank you, my Thane." She stomped out of the house, between Selene and Brynjolf and slammed the door behind her.

"Is she always that pleasant?"

"Mmm, prickly at best."

Brynjolf took the next silence to look her over. The circles under her eyes, the tense shoulders, adverted eyes, armor that—

"What happened to your armor, lass?"

"It's still in Winterhold." Any amusement was gone from her face.

He took a step closer. "You know, any damage that might have been done to it, I'm sure Tonilla could fix it." She looked strange in robes, Brynjolf thought leather suited her better.

"I don't think so." Selene finally looked at him, her look poignant and he dropped it. "Why are you here, Brynjolf?"

"I came to check on—" She cut him of with a curt shake of her head.

"_You_ didn't have to come up here to do that, and you wouldn't still be here if that was the case."

Another step. "I was worried, we still don't know where Mercer is and who's to say he won't try and finish the job?"

"Bryn—"

"Let me finish, lass, please." When she looked at him again, he was right in front of her, eyebrows drawn together in a near desperate expression but she didn't interrupt. "I thought you were dead, I didn't like thinking that again. So, _I_ came to check on you."

His thumb brushed over the scrapes on her cheek that she hadn't fixed yet, he wished she had. After Golden Glow, after finding out she _ate_ dragon souls?

She had seemed invincible.

To have that shattered was, while necessary, unpleasant.

Selene, on the other hand, was only caught between flinching away and leaning into his hand. It had been sometime since someone had touched her, and her foray with Mercer was _anything _but intimate. It had been rough and mostly clothed. Nothing more then relief for his built up attraction and aggression.

"I thought I'd find out bleeding out in your own bed." Stopped her thoughts, the thumb that had been resting on her cheek brushed over the crease between her eyebrows and across her brow-ridge, his palm finally resting on her cheek, fingers in her hair and she chose to lean into his palm, going as far as to put her own hand over his.

"I don't think— He was so chaotic in the Sanctum. I don't think he cares, I don't think he'll come back again."

They were so close now, if she just leaned forward a little bit— "It would make our job a lot easier." He sounded angry but looked sad. It's what made her raise her hand to his cheek, mirroring him.

It was familiar and horrible, betrayal. It made her wish she hadn't gone through hers alone.

Against her better judgement she plated a chaste kiss on his forehead. He took it as a cue and when she pulled away, Brynjolf closed the distance again by meeting her lips with his own.

She murmured his name and he moved so their bodies were flush against each other. In a smooth movement she was sitting on the table, Brynjolf between her legs, kissing her, both pairs of hands wandering.

When he moved from her lips down to her neck, "Don't I have a house to rob?"

"It's not going anywhere." Breathless words against her collarbone.

**III.**

Brynjolf sat up, watching her. Half-lidded eyes, flushed cheeks, messy hair against the pillow, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths, a tapered waist with a new scar, hips that were perfect under his hands, a pair of legs that were open to his waist, knees that were now pushing against his ribcage.

They had barley removed any of their clothes and already— But he wanted to take his time. Judging by the way she acted, she did as well.

She sat up with him. "Brynjolf," whispered, "what is it?"

He said the first thing that came to mind, "I wish it was brighter." He felt stupid when she chuckled under her breath, but a ball of light formed in her hands between them. It floated away until it found the ceiling, rolling in odd shapes but casting light ever the same.

"Better?"

He could see the deep blush on her chest and cheeks, the _blue_ of her eyes. "Aye."

**IV.**

Here, she didn't have to worry about startling Dragur or waking grumpy werewolves so Selene stopped biting her lip.

Brynjolf chuckled between her legs. "Don't stop you a—." She was cut off with her own gasp. "_Divines_." He was good at this. Who was the last person who could do this with their mouth? That was a question she didn't want an answer to.

"Are you sure you're not… umm Dibellan?" She got no words in reply, only his tongue again. "Haeg— Haegla teach you a… few things?" Her eyes were closed, she didn't see Brynjolf's eyes rolling as he stopped. "Do you always talk this much, lass?"

Selene only shook her head and threaded her fingers through his hair, tugging upwards. He crawled forward so he was level with her face, fingers still in his hair and she kissed him.

Their bodies fell together again, skin on skin this time and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"I know she'd _love_ to have you."

"Oh, _shut up_."


	4. Health & Healing

_(Selene, female dragonborn)_

**I.**

She thought she was going to die on that floor, bleeding from a wound in her neck.

She also had a hard time believing any of this was real.

Even when Natesse leapt into her vision, knocking her attacker out of it, it was hard to believe.

The healing magic brought her back to reality. To Caius twitching on the ground from the stab wound in his side. To the warm, wet substance covering her neck and chest that left her head spinning.

To the way she was pulled to her feet and half-dragged out of her home only to see fire coming from the city.

**II.**

She would have stayed at the inn but Gerdur insisted, the Nord mother wouldn't have 'the woman who saved my brothers life paying for a roof.'

So, she stayed. Despite her distaste at being cared for by what was obviously a Stormcloak family.

"Hey! You've been around, right? Do you have any stories? What kind of weapon do you use? Uncle Ralof uses an axe! Have you ever killed someone? How many—"

"Ask you questions one at a time if you want them answered."

"What kind of weapon do you use?"

"Bows, daggers. Used a double-bladed sword once."

"A double-bladed sword?"

"It's like a pole with a blade on each end, they're very difficult to wield, but fun."

"Wow, I've never heard of one of those."

Selene nodded, "It's a very south-eastern weapon, you wouldn't find one in Skyrim."

"So, when are you going to get better?"

That made her laugh. "I don't know."

**III.**

It was always the cold that got her. The physical wounds Selene could recover from but the frigid water and the way it made her ache? It hit her too hard.

Brynjolf's warm body and the fire he and Karliah had built, she was lucky for.

It didn't mean she _felt_ lucky.


	5. Doing Something Sweet

_(Farkas/Selene, featuring Felix. And no, I'm not trying to imply Farkas is a bleeding idiot, just that there is no Flax in Skyrim.)_

* * *

"Harbinger, may I speak with you?" Felix rubs his face before looking up, "What is it Farkas?"

"What is Selene's favorite flower?"

"I— I think it's flax? We've never talked about it though, it's something you'd have to ask her."

"Oh…" Farkas's face turns to a frown.

"Uh, why? Do you want to know that?"

"I wanted to surprise her with something nice when she gets back from Solitude."

"Flowers?"

Farkas shrugs. "She likes flowers."

"Yeah… She does." They look at each other for a moment, with an awkward silence between them, "you know, I think she appreciates that you're around at all when she gets back."

"I am always there Harbinger." There was definite pride and even a little defensiveness in his tone, "but I thought something different would be… nice."

"What were you going to do with the flowers?"

"I wa—"

"No," Felix held up his hands, "nevermind. I don't want to know." He stands, "I'm just going to pretend it's completely sweet and innocent and you're not—" Felix cut himself and starts walking past Farkas.

"Harbinger?"

"It's Flax, Farkas."

"What is Flax?"


	6. Outside

_(A bit of an introduction for a character named Mouse; Bosmer, non-DB, Thieves Guild. How did she come by the Thieves Guild? This is how.)_

* * *

The first weapon Mouse get in Skyrim is stolen from bandits. It's a bow that's barely holding together and the arrows that came with it don't fly straight.

The realization that she needs new ones come pretty quickly. But that means stealing a new one because she doesn't have materials to _make_ anything and she has no money and even though she is no longer in Valenwood cutting up trees still seems sacrilegious.

Travelers over the tundra were scarce, as were bandits and game. Unless you counted mammoths game, which Mouse did not.

When the little bosmer decided leaving the tundra would be the wisest decision, she happened upon travelers. Two of them, to be exact, with more then enough food. They didn't notice her at first, so she took a handful of the other Bosmer's arrows and another handful of dried meat.

"Brynjolf?"

"Aye lad?"

"Have you seen my arrows? I seem to be missing... most of them actually."

"I would guess," The man took a look over his shoulder, "that our shadow is responsible for our missing things."

"...We're being followed?"

The man just nodded, getting up and running a hand through his rust colored hair. When he started walking Mouse scrambled away from her hiding spot.

She knew what happened to thieves and she didn't want to die, or lose a limb, or...

It didn't take long for the man to catch up. When he did the elf he'd been following had wedged herself under an overhang.

"Now, " He crouched down in front of her, "there's no need to be so frightened. I'm just here to talk." He put out a hand, palm upwards, towards her. For a moment she balked, unsure of his intentions, before handing over the tied bundle of arrows and what was left of the meat she had taken, setting them in his hand and then tried to push herself further into the wall all while praying to Y'ffre that he would just... leave it be.

Instead, he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's not what I meant, lass, but you have my thanks." He fondles the tip of one of the arrows, "honestly, I think Niruin deserved it, he needs to pay more attention. You know lass, my organization's always looking for people like you, people who know how to keep out of sight and take things that don't belong to them." He tried to catch her eye but they were firmly glued to the ground.

"Name's Brynjolf, by the way." When he held out his hand again she didn't move. "Wouldn't you rather take a chance in the city then stay out here? Living like an animal." He added in an undertone. Mouse's eyes snapped up to his, still scared. "Ah, I've got you're attention. If you come with us you'll be able to make some coin, maybe get some of your own." Brynjolf lifted up the arrows for a moment. "How does that sound, lass?" he held out his hand again.

After a few moments Mouse took his hand, if not a bit haltingly.


	7. Chemistry

**I.**

There was an undeniable charisma to Felix and Vilkas was trying very hard to convince himself that he wasn't pulled in by it.

Or at least he wasn't the only one.

The way Ysloda tripped over herself whenever Felix said _hello_ was a good indicator of how very not alone he was.

**II.**

At night in the dim light of a campfire, it was a very romantic first kiss until Vilkas sneezed right in the middle of it.

Felix rubbed his face (laughing), waited for Vilkas to wipe his mouth (blushing), and kissed him again.

Once he got over the surprise that he was being kissed rather then laughed at, Felix was pushed onto his back (smiling both) the watch abandoned.

**III.**

"Your sister?"

"Yep."

"She's a thief."

"Mmm. She was just trying to send a message. We have every thing she took." Felix rubbed Vilkas's exposed thigh and kept talking, eyes closed. "It's okay."

"I don't think so."

"Its okay."

Whatever Vilkas said next was lost on the man who was now asleep in his lap.

**IV.**

"And then we'll do yours."

Felix stopped. "Wait, what?"

"You can't fool me. I know you want to rid yourself of the blood."

"Vilkas… This is about you." He shook his head. "Not me. I can deal with this later—"

"Kodlak thought the same thing, but he died before he could cleanse himself! We don't have all the time in the world, Felix. If Kodlak's death taught me anything, it taught me that."


	8. Time To Get Up

_(Revolves around Selene after Snow Veil Sanctum, mostly a flashback.)_

* * *

"Come on, Birdy. Get up." My face stings a little, "I'm not going to haul you back to headquarters." When I look at who's speaking, my heart skips.

"You're okay."

"Of course I'm alright. You're the one who almost died." She starts to help me up, "You need to be more careful."

For a moment I think I see snow, but it is quickly replaced by my actual surroundings, a damp, slightly smoking room. I figure I must have hit my head. She slings my arm around her shoulder and starts talking again, "You used that stupid explosion spell." Standing up, "I thought you weren't supposed to do that. Didn't your teacher say—"

"Too safe. I was low on Magicka, if I hadn't been, I'd be fine." My head is still spinning so my words aren't coming out like I'd like, and we stumble together.

She just shakes her head, "I'm glad you're okay. Now, let's get out of here."

After walking for awhile I speak again, "I had a dream about snow."

"_What_?" She laughs. "You've seen it once."

"Yeah but… I was meeting someone, and it was so cold and snowy. I found him but he betrayed me. Killed me. Actually."

"Well, good thing it was just a dream." I was shifted a little, "I have a hard time believing you wouldn't see though something like that. Maybe you're losing your touch."

I laugh. "Don't think so."

I rest my eyes for moment and when I open them again, the sunlight is almost blinding. The sand under my belly is warm, and the sun is leaving my skin hot.

_Where is Fox_?

Yelling interrupts the crashing waves and I look up to see her over Felix's shoulder, yelling at him, "Put me down, you oaf!" But he keeps running towards the water, laughing probably, like normal.

Grey. Little flakes moving in front of my vision and cold. Familiar cold.

I try to call for Fox, or one of my brothers, or sisters but nothing comes out of my mouth.

So, I look around instead, the rest of my body doesn't seem to be working well anyway.

When I see a figure in front of a small bonfire everything comes back in a rush.

_They're gone._

_Mercer is a traitor_.

_Mercer_.

I stand up a quickly as possible bringing fire to my hands, but I don't get off my knees before falling down again, my fire turning on me and sputtering out.

"You shouldn't get up so fast."

_Mercer is a traitor, but I am still alive._


	9. Hunting

_(Selene/Farkas_

_Setting: a camp somewhere between Riften and Winterhold.)_

* * *

"Selene?"

"Farkas."

He stayed quiet for another moment, and she stopped eating to actually look at him.

"Vilkas says you killed Kodlak." He scraped his spoon across across the bottom of its bowl. "Did you?"

Honestly, she felt she expected this line of questioning but didn't mean she was _ready_ for it.

"I—Yes."

"Why?" He demanded.

"I didn't mean to!" The words came out in a rush. "It was…an accident."

"But he's still dead."

"Yeah, I know."

They were silent for a moment before Farkas spoke. "Vilkas said he saw you casting magic, too."

"I was."

She could almost _hear_ his brow furrow. "Felix told us about magic, but I didn't understand it… Something about the art of subtlety…"

"I doubt anyone understood it, he's terrible at explanations."

"Could _you_ explain it?"

Now it was her turn to be confused. "Why?"

He shrugged.

"It _is_ about subtlety. If one thing goes wrong, the whole spell can go awry. It requires concentration. Just like sword-play. Take the Restoration school: it can used, not just to heal damage, but to cause damage. Usually that happens when the mage gets… distracted. Something that was once whole can be… destroyed in a second of neglect and…"

Farkas thought for a moment. "Is that what happened with Kodlak?"

She nodded. "After he was wounded I— The sword had come close to his heart, but not close enough. I could have— but someone hit me and…" She paused to push her hair behind her ears. "The next thing I know: I'm… covered in his blood."

After a moment of silence Farkas got her talking about magic again because 'it brought your heart rate back to normal,' but he fell asleep during her talk of the difference between illusion and alteration magics.

Which was fine, she thought. Because it meant she got to share the warm blankets with him.

"I don't think it was your fault."

"What?" She stopped walking.

"Kodlak." He stopped too. "It doesn't feel like your fault."

"I thought Vilkas said—"

"My brother is not always right."

"Thank you, Farkas."

He beamed like an excited child and said, "Let's find a dragon."


	10. Snowflake

_(Mouse's first experience in Skyrim. She came from Morrowind with some refugees.)_

* * *

The first time she's pushed along, "Get moving, _girl_. It's not so special." she pushes down the urge to investigate the strange, white ground with the shove she receives for slowing her pace.

"Why is it so cold here?" she asks quietly.

"Shut up, girl. Keep moving."

"But, why is the ground _white_?"

No answer now.

So she stops asking, pulls her fur tighter around her, and watches the unfamiliar ground.

"Where to now? I'm not staying in Windhelm."

"Perhaps we could go to the college, further north? We have magic and it wouldn't be a bad place to stay."

"Assuming we made it."

"We've made it this far."

The three dunmer looked at each other for a moment, "To Winterhold then?" One of them gestured to the small bosmer trailing behind, "what about her?"

The young elf balked as all three sets of eyes turned towards her, "Easy enough." said the eldest. Another grabbed his arm, "You're not going to kill her, right?" The eldest gave his male counterpart an incredulous look and shook off his hand.

Avoiding his eyes, the Bosmer gripped her fur tighter. It did little good when the elf before her grabbed the fur and, with his other hand, shoved her out of it, causing her to land on the cold road. "Don't you think we'll be needing this a bit more then you girl? Now," he slung the fur over his arm, "I suggest you go back to Windhelm. Get some actual shoes." With that he turned and began walking with the rest of his party, leaving the young elf behind in the snow.

But she had seen the looks she'd gotten in Windhelm. The thought of staying there was worse then staying with them. So, she got up and started walking after then, "Get out of here!"

Once they were out of sight she made up her mind. Windhelm was not an option. But there were other cities, other towns, she could stay there. She didn't really need a town though. If she could get her hands on a bow and some arrows she could hunt for herself, maybe make something to wear.

When Mouse sees that much snow again it's nowhere near Windhelm. But it's still the same, she only fights the urge to stoop and investigate for so long.

There's no one there to push her along and tell her no.

It doesn't take long for her to reach the conclusion that snow _is_ overrated and she missed Valenwood.


	11. Move

_(Selene-centric during Helgen, another First person debacle.)_

* * *

They were arguing? Now?

The city is falling apart and they were just standing there. After a piece of a wall fell nearby I ran to the nearest door, slamming it shut behind me. The room was tall, stone, and domed making it easy to hear the commotion outside.

There are two doors here, both are barred enough that I can't slip through. There are bigger squares above one and a lever behind the other, but I'm still sore from jumping out of that tower so I try the lever first. I glance at the door before sticking my hand through one of the rectangles closest to the lever.

My fingers are just touching it, if I could just get one one more inch…

"What are you doing?"

The voice is familiar but I yank my arm from between the bars and unsheathe my dagger anyway.

"Woah!" he said as I turned around, "I'm just looking to get out of here too." He coughs, looking around, and sees the dead Stormcloak across the room, "did you do that?"

I hold up my clean dagger in response.

"Right." He kneels down by his dead comrade, "you should take his armor. He won't be needing it anymore."

"Is it _magic_ armor?"

"_What_?"

"How is it going to fit me? Your friend can keep his modesty." It's the truth, I can't even take his shoes.

He grunted in response and walks over to the other door, "My name's Ralof, by the way." After fiddling with it for moment, "it's locked." by that time I'm next to him, dagger back in it's sheath and tied to my waist, hands on the bars and ready to climb up to that square that looks _just_ big enough to fit my hips through.

"What— are you going to leave me here, alone?"

"Not my fault you're to big to slip through." As soon as I lift myself to start climbing we hear, "Kill the prisoners!"

"Son of a bitch." Before I could get to my square a hand grabbed my ankle and yanked me back to the ground, knocking the wind from my lungs. It was one of the legionnaires that had just arrived.

"Die criminal scum!" I kick his exposed knee before his blow could land and the sword hits stone next to my head. Ears ringing, I yank out my dagger and swipe at his face. As the metal comes across his nose he stumbles back, away from me, enough to me to get up and back into another person, the captain who had been extremely intent on killing me. I don't waste anytime in stabbing her. Or trying to, anyway. Her shield is up and she's yelling at the man I knocked over, trying to get him to attack the "damn rebels."

The fight was over pretty quickly though. Turns out two green legionnaires aren't a match for… well, anyone. Eventually my dagger found the Captain's throat and we found a key to help us get further into the tower.


	12. Dress up With an Officer's Uniform

_(Selene/Farkas. )_

* * *

"No, I don't care. I want my pants back."

"Selene-"

"No. _Now_. I don't care how great of disguise it would be, or how I look in it." She takes a moment to tug at the skirt, "I have a miniature bear on my head, I look _ridiculous_. How did you even find one that fits me? Have you seen the _size_ of the people wearing these things?"

Farkas just leans back against the wall and smiles, watching his lover tug at the straps on her outfit. After a moment of obvious frustration Selene rips off the gauntlets, throwing them at the nearby table and knocking over a goblet, then moves on to the boots. Pulling and throwing them away as well.

"I can't believe you convinced me to put this _on_!"

As she starts un-clipping the belt, Farkas walks away from the wall and helps her get the skirt off.

"Did you _plan_ this?" Selene asks quietly. He just smiles again as he slides the bear hat back, away from her face, "Maybe."


	13. Satisfied

_A Selene and Brynjolf snippet. They're thieves, they steal things._

_Setting: Windhelm, Candlehearth Hall_

* * *

"So?"

"Very fetching lass… who'd you steal it from?"

"Why I _never_!" She turned back towards the mirror, running her hands over the silk bodice. "I'm surprised it fits even a little."

Brynjolf sighed and sat in a nearby chair. "I thought we were leaving this morning."

"I got busy."

"With stealing clothes?"

"Very _expensive_ clothes."

"I can see that." He watched her turn to inspect the back again. "But you aren't going to sell them, are you lass? You're _fawning_."

"Don't be so dramatic." She picked an invisible hair from the skirt. "I'll sell most of them… to our no new fence, no less. I'm keeping this one though. I just need to tailor it a little and it will be _perfect_."

Brynjolf stood from his chair and walked up behind Selene. "No, you know what would have been perfect?"

"Leaving today?" She looked over her shoulder. "I have to pay you back for dragging me here somehow."

"Aye. But we'll leave tomorrow, after you sell those bloody dresses." He hooked a finger in the back laces and tugged. She really did look… fetching. "Now, go to bed, lass."

"Aye-aye, oh captain my captain." He makes a face in the mirror and she snorts with laughter before walking away to pack up her new-used clothes.


	14. Summer Haze

She sold have seen it coming, the way he ran twoards her with that grin on his face. Still when he scooped her out of the sand an picked her up, she was surprised.

She shrieked and he cackled, running towards the sea. Of course, just before he fell, he managed to fully throw her into an incoming wave and causing another shriek.

They found each other again in the waves, clinging to each other. "You horrible imp!" She laughed.

"You two are disgusting!" The shout from the beach sent them both into fits of laughter, stumbling and falling under another wave.

***

They had their own little cottage just outside of town, on a hill overlooking the ocean. It was perfect and everything they had said they wanted.

Sitting on their deck, wrapped a blanket, and watching the stars. Perfect.

"I've… been thinking."

"Hmmm…"

"Oh, hush. I'm serious."

"Alright, alright. what is it?"

She took a moment to answer, brushing her hair behind her ear. "We've been married for some time now and, well—" Another pause and his eyes narrow. "What do you think of— well, of starting a family?"

A silence stretched between them, only the sounds of insects and the waves there.

"I— I don't—" He stumbles over the words in a jumble of emotions.

She turned in his lap so they're facing each other. "What is it? Please tell me this time."

They share another silence, watching each other in the dim moonlight.

"…I wouldn't be a good father."

"Don't say that, you—"

"I'm too much like my parents. I would—"

"No you wouldn't!"

"How can you know?"

She places her hands on either side of his face, a gentle gesture to reassure. "They are not you. And they did not have me." She kisses his furrowed brow and strokes his high cheek bones with her thumbs. "Or our family, our support. You, will make a great father."

And these moments, Caius truly regrets.

***

Selene could feel the warm body of her husband behind her, while it was strange for him to have an arm around her, it certainly wasn't unwelcome. Before she could fully smile or appreciate the situation, she stopped halfway to sitting.

The sheets felt wrong. The smell… was wrong. Gods, even the sounds. All wrong.

"Selene?" It took her a moment to realize the voice was familiar, which cascaded all of her other senses. Farkas, Jorrvaskr, Whiterun… Skyrim. It was all real. Every ounce of her self control went into keeing the tears back, instead she shook and turned away, looking at the wall and doing nothing to alleviate Farkas's worry. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." It was a small mercy that her voice came out without trembling.

Farkas didn't buy it. Even without the wolf's heightened senses he would have been able to feel her tensed muscles, hear the stone in her voice. Even so, he could smell the distress, her pounding heart beat. The subtle night vision was beginning to kick in and he could see the upset on her face and her clenched fists.

He didn't know what to do. Should he get her brother? Leave? Stay? Play his lute? Whenever his brother was upset they would go on a job, kill something. He didn't think that would help this time. So he asked.

"Is there anything I can do?"

No answer.

"Do you want me to get Felix?"

A quiet no in response.

"…Do you want me to leave?" He hated the thought of giving up his bed but the hand that wrapped around his told him he wouldn't have to.

"It was just a bad dream, Farkas. I'm fine. Stay." A lie, but one good enough to make him lie back down and wrap his arms around her. A comfortable warmth even underground and such a long way from home.


End file.
